Method of making and attaching an insulator to a supporting spring structure



Feb. 23, 1965 R. P. DoERr-:R 3,170,220

METHOD oF MAKING AND ATTACHING AN INSULATOR TO A SUPPORTING SPRING STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 2s, 1965 I "Ji/(mona A no4-ff@ u 9 ,4 fran/frs in section. Y

- 3,170,220 METHOD F MAKING AND ATTACHING AN INSULATR TG A SUPPORTING SPRHNG STRUCTURE Richard P. Doerer, Ypsilanti, Mich., assigner to Van Dresser Specialty (Importation, Warren, Mich., a Y corporation of Michigan Filed Ian. 28,' 1963, Ser. No. 254,351 Claims. (Cl. 29-91.1)

This invention relates to a methodV of making an insulator and attaching the same to the supporting spring structure of an upholstered assembly, and is a continuationin-part of my co-pending application Serial No. 177,497, tiled March 5, 1962, now Patent No. 3,132,355, granted May12, 1964. Y y

One of the essential objects of the invention is to provide a method of making aninsulator of flexible material reinforced by a plurality of .flexible strands, and adapted to be attached to the insulatorto the supporting spring structure of an upholstered assembly. .Y v

Another object is to provide a method of making a composite insulator having `a sheet of liexible material reinforced by a plurality of tlexiblerresilient strands, `comprising stretching the strands beyond the elastic limit of the material thereof to an overalllength approximating the dimension of the corresponding portions ofthe .supporting spring'structure, and thereafter attaching the strands tothe sheet4 of' material so that the strands ,are substang tially parallelto the plane of the sheet.

Another object is to provide a method of making a l United States Patent O v'composite insulator whereinthe strands are overstretched apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View 4of an upholsteredassembly provided with an insulator -constructed in accordance with my invention, showing parts broken away and FIGURE 2 is a top plan viewl of the insulator shown 7 marginally attached to theborder frame of the supporting spring structure, the dotted Vlines indicating the outline of the insulator prior,to;being marginally attached tothe border frame.

Y shown in FIGURE 7; By thus pleating Vthe sheets, they v FIGURE 3 is a semi-diagrammatic view of the insulator j taken substantially on the line 33 V'of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is aV fragmentary semi-diagrammatic View of an end portion of the insulator, I i 1, Y FIGURE 5v is a 'plan view of the core of the` insulator before the strands are stretched, shown overlying the. border frame.

FIGURE 6 is a top plan Vview of the insulator core, after it has ,been stretched, shownV overlying the border frame toillustrate the configuration of the stretched core with respect to that of the brorderfrarne.'`

FIGURE 7 isV an enlargement in sectionof a portionl of FIGURE 4. l

` Inthe drawings, A lis an elongated substantially'horiding B for an exterior trim material C and an underlying supporting spring structureD of an upholstered-asse`mbly.

- VThe insulator A` is best shown in FIGURES 2 -4 and 7 fingumaon Shown .in FIGURE 5. The einem its initial Y zont'al, -ilexible,rbodily stretchable sheet-like insulator em, j `form is there designadA 14, ,and it will bei noted ,that

; bodying my invention disposed between an overlyingfpad'- Y 3,170,229 Patented Feb. 23, 1965iVA ICC another elongated sheet of liexible material 12 having substantially the same marginal outline as the sheet lil, and a prestretched reinforcing core 14 between the sheets 1t) and 12. The insulator is a composite laminated structure with the core 14 constituting a lamination or layer between the outer layers or'sheets 10 andr12 of'flexible material.

The prestretchedcore 14 includes a plurality of laterally spaced, substantially parallel resilient stretchable reinforcing strands 16. The core isV best seen in FIGURE 6, and it will be noted that anchorage means ormembers which may be in the form of cords 18 extend along both ends of the core to which the strands are terminally connected.

` Theends of the strands may be simply wrapped or folded toured ends 22 and 24, The border frame may be formed of a wire element-or'the like, and also has the longitudinally extending straight sides"26 and 23 connecting the contoured ends 22 and 24. The composite insulatorA' has an outline which closely approximates Vthat of the border frame. The outline of the insulator A is shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 2.v i Preferably, the sheets 10 and 12 are slightly` largerboth `in width andA length than the border frame, while thecore is-veryclose in outline to that of the border frame.` Y

As-seen particularly in FIGURES 3` and, 4, the sheet 12 is substantially `flat and the' sheet 10 is formed with loopsV Btl extending substantiallytfrom one end to the other,`which cooperate-with the sheet A12 in dening parallel open tunnels or pockets 32 which extend lengthwise of the insulator. AThe sheets are'secured together by staples 33 or any otherV suitable securing means such, for example, as stitching or adhesive. Inthis instance, the staples run between the Vpockets 32' to separate them from each other. Ay strand` 16 is disposed in each'of .the pockets 32, Aand the cords or anchorage members 18 extend across the ends of the pockets. It will, of course, be understood that the strands may, if desired, extend cross'wise ratherthan Alengthwise of the insulator.'A Y

Preferably,thesheets4 are pleated transversely of the. pockets, thatfis the material ofi-the sheets is formed to provide the pleats 34 whichextend at right angles to the 'pockets from one side to the othergwThe pleats are as well as' the strands 16'are stretchablein the direction of length of the insulator -so as to yield` under load.

The `insulator is shown in FIGURE 2 marginally secured to the border frame Ztl, as .by means of the hog rings 35. The hog rings encircle the border frame and lat the ends of the insulator also encircle theV anchorage members orcordsrflSA The hog ringsof course pierce the sheets. Other securing means such,gfor example, as

clips may be provided insteadr of hog rings.

Although the various elements of the insulator may be formed' from any suitable material for the purposes set forth, the sheets 1li and 12 are preferably formed of burlap, and the reinforcing strands 16 are preferably formed'of wire. VThe anchorage members or`cords'13 mayv be formedfor'example 'of rolled or-folded burlap.

In Ythe manufacture ofithe insulator shown in FIG- URES 2 4, the core ,isrrst formed `to the shape and coni V the strandsV 16 are' all initially of the same .length and andincludes an elongated sheet of flexible material 1t),

thatthe pitchof the helical convolutions is also the same.

Theernds of the. strands are terminallyconnected to the anchorage members or cords 1S( by being folded or4 v Wrapped about the cords, and the core thusformed is sub- Y stantially rectangular with the strands substantially parallel and in laterally spaced relation to each other.

The core of FIGURE 5, which is there shown in its initialform, must be shapedto theconguration shown in FIGURE 6 before it is ready to be assembled with the sheets 10 and 12 to complete the composite insulator A. In other words,the strands 15 must be longitudinally stretched, certain strands more than others, so that in the free state of the core it assumes substantially the outline shown in FIGURE V6 which corresponds closely to the outline of the border frame. To accomplish this, the ends of the strands, or the cords near the strand ends, are iirmly gripped and relatively moved away from each other to stretch thecore to a length somewhat greater than the length of the border frame. The dotted position dit (FIGURE 6) of the cords indicate the extent to which the strands are stretched. When the strands are released, the cords will spring back slightly and assume a permanentl condition indicated in solid lines in FIGURE 6. Thus the core assumes a stable prestretched condition which substantially follows the outline of the border frame. Any suitable means may be employed to stretch the core of the insulator. Preferably, a plurality-of grippers will be provided along both ends of the core to respectively grip the ends of each strand, and the grippers should be movable independently of each other so that some can stretch the strands to a greater extent than others, for it will be seen in the drawing that the core'in its tinal form has some strands stretched only slightly and other strands stretched to a greater degree. A stretching fixture, such as that shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 151,771, tiled November 13, 1961, new Patent 3,132,352,is suitable tor the purpose;

The sheets It) and I2 when laid out iiat are slightly longer than illustrated in dotted lines in FIGUREl 2, it being understood that in these Vfigures the material ofy the sheets has been transversely pleated, somewhat shortening their overall length. It `will also be understood that when laid iiat sheet 1.0 is of a somewhat greater dimension from side to side than the sheet IZsince enough material must be provided to form the loops 3i?.

In order to form the composite insulator `from its parts, the prestretched core shown in FIGURE 6 may be laid over the sheet i2, the sheet l2 having first been pleated in a transverse direction. The sheet I0 may then be laid over the core and likewise transversely pleated. The margins of the sheets coincide with oneanother, and the material of the upper sheet 10 will fold about the individual strands to form the loops 30. The sheets are secured together Iby any suitable means such, for example, as the staples 33 shown which'run between the loops to permanently separate the pockets or tunnels 32 from each other. The completed insulator is attached to the border frame of the suporting spring structure by any suitable means such as the hog rings 35. When laid over the border frame in its free state, the margins of the sheets are as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 2. VThe margins of the sheets are folded over the border frame, in the manner shown in FIGURE 3, and the hog rings are applied without the need of any stretching.. The hog rings encircle the border frame and also the cords 1S which lie inside the ends' of the border frame.

The insulator A is capable of stretching longitudinally, since the prestretched strands of the core are stretchable and the pleated material of the sheets is likewise capable of extending' or stretching.

. il sinuous, or V-shaped, or any other desired wavy configuration.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A method of forming an elongated, flexible, sheetlike insulator having in its free state condition a lengthwise dimension approximating the lengthwise dimension of an elongated border frame of a supporting spring structure of an upholstered assembly, for use of said insulator in said upholstered assembly between said supporting spring structure and an overlying padding; comprising providing first and second elongated sheets of iiexible material adapted to extend lengthwise of'said border frame and which have a lengthwise dimension approximating the lengthwise dimension of said border frame, providing a plurality of elongated, laterally spaced, substantially parallel, liexible, stretchable, resilient reinforcing strands adapted to extend lengthwise of said border frame and which are initially shorter than the corresponding portions of said border frame, longitudinally stretching said strands beyond their elastic limit to a stable free state condition of increased length such that said stretched strands have approximately the same lengthwise dimension respectively as the corresponding portions of said border frame, extending said stretched strands upon one side of said first sheet lengthwise thereof and extending said second sheet upon the side of said stretched strands opposite saidrst sheet lengthwise of said irst sheet', and then securing said sheets together.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said sheets are secured together as aforesaid between the respective strands to maintainthe substantially. parallel relation of said strands.

" side of said first sheet lengthwise thereof and extending Although the strands are shown extending from .end to end of the insulator, they may extendtransversely, that is from side to side, in which event the pleats would extend from end to end. n y,

While the strands are preferably helical as shown, theyl may also be of other undulating `form. Thus,theundui lations may, for example,` lie lin the same plane and be 3. A method of forming an elongated, flexible, sheetlike insulator having in its free state condition a lengthwise dimension approximatingthe lengthwise dimension ofan elongated border frame of a supporting spring structure of an upholstered assembly, for use of said insulator in said upholstered assembly between said supporting spring structure and an overlying padding; comprising providing first and second elongated sheets of iiexible'material adapted to extend-lengthwise of -said borderframe and which have a lengthwise dimension approximating the lengthwise dimension of said border frame,lproviding a plurality of elongated, laterally spaced,

substantially parallel, flexible, stretchable, resilient, helical, reinforcing strands adapted to extendV lengthwise of said border frame and which are initially shorter than the corresponding portions of said border frame, longitudinally stretching said strands beyond their elastic limit lby pulling the ends of each strand away from one another and 4then releasing the same so that said stretched strands assume a stable free state condition of increased length and have approximately the same lengthwise dimension respectively as the corresponding portions of said border frame, extending said stretched strands upon one said second sheet upon the side of said strands opposite said first sheet lengthwise of said first'sheet, then Vforming longitudinally extending portions of said sheets to provide individual tunnels for the separate strands, and thereafter securing said sheets together between said respective strands to confine said'strjands within said tunnels and to maintain the substantially parallel relation of said strands.

4. The method detined in claim 3, wherein the ends of each strand are pulled away from one another as aforesaid a distance greater than the lengthwise dimension of the corresponding portion of said border frame so that whenreleased-as aforesaid'said strands -will spring back toa lengthwise dimension more nearly approximating the'lengthwise dimension of the corresponding portions of said border frame.

5. The method definedV in claim 4, wherein anchorage members are provided along opposite ends of said strands 5 6 Y being streched, and attaching said anchorage members to 2,283,116 5/49 Yong 155-179 the ends of, said border frame after said sheets have 2,608,750 9/ 52 fCluze-l 4- 29-448 been secured togethervas aforesaid. 2,918,271 12/59 @rites 29-452 Reference'sCited bythe Examiner l. 5, WHITMORE'A. WILTZ, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STA'ITES PATENTS Y Y THOMAS H. EAGER, Examiner.

2,218,708 10/40 H-aberstump 29-173 

1. A METHOD OF FORMING AN ELONGATED, FLEXIBLE, SHEETLIKE INSULATOR HAVING IN ITS FREE STATE CONDITION A LENGTHWISE DIMENSION APPROXIMATING THE LENGTHWISE DIMENSION OF AN ELONGATED BORDER FRAME OF A SUPPORTING SPRING STRUCTURE OF AN UPHOLSTERED ASSEMBLY, FOR USE OF SAID INSULATOR IN SAID UPHOLSTERED ASSEMBLY BETWEEN SAID SUPPORTING SPRING STRUCTURE AND AN OVERLYING PADDING; COMPRISING PROVIDING FIRST AND SECOND ELONGATED SHEETS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL ADAPTED TO EXTEND LENGTHWISE OF SAID BORDER FRAME AND WHICH HAVE A LENGTHWISE DIMENSION APPROXIMATING THE LENGTHWISE DIMENSION OF SAID BORDER FRAME, PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED, LATERALLY SPACED, SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL, FLEXIBLE, STRETCHABLE, RESILIENT REINFORCING STRANDS ADAPTED TO EXTEND LENGTHWISE OF SAID BORDER FRAME AND WHICH ARE INITIALLY SHORTER THAN THE CORRESPONDING PORTIONS OF SAID BORDER FRAME, LONGITUDINALLY STRETCHING SAID STRANDS BEYOND THEIR ELASTIC LIMIT TO A STABLE FREE STATE CONDITION OF INCREASED LENGTH SUCH THAT SAID STRETCHED STRANDS HAVE APPROXIMATELY THE SAME LENGTHWISE DIMENSION RESPECTIVELY AS THE CORRESPONDING PORTIONS OF SAID BORDER FRAME, EXTENDING SAID STRETCHED STRANDS UPON ONE SIDE OF SAID FIRST SHEET LENGTHWISE THEREOF AND EXTENDING SAID SECOND SHEET UPON THE SIDE OF SAID STRETCHED STRANDS OPPOSITE SAID FIRST SHEET LENGTHWISE OF SAID FIRST SHEET, AND THEN SECURING SAID SHEETS TOGETHER. 